1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a cyclonic separator, and more particularly to a modular cyclonic separator for separating solid impurities from an airflow.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional centrifugal filter 1 that is used to separate solid impurities, such as dust, debris, solid particles, etc., from an airflow using cyclonic principle. The conventional centrifugal filter 1 includes two separating barrels 11, 12, three pipes 131, 132, 133, an exhaust fan 14 and a solid collector 15. Each of the separating barrels 11, 12 has an air inlet 111, 121, and an air outlet 112, 122 and a solid outlet 113, 123 opposite to each other along a central axis thereof. The pipe 131 is connected to the air inlet 111 of the separating barrel 11. The pipe 132 interconnects the air outlet 112 of the separating barrel 11 and the air inlet 121 of the separating barrel 12. The pipe 133 interconnects the air outlet 122 of the separating barrel 12 and the exhaust fan 14. The solid collector 15 is connected to the solid outlets 113, 123. The exhaust fan 4 is operable to draw ambient air through the pipe 111, the separating barrel 11, the pipe 132, the separating barrel 12 and the pipe 133, such that an airflow flowing into each of the separating barrels 11, 12 follows a cyclonic flow pattern so as to separate some of solid impurities from the airflow. The separated solid impurities fall into the solid collector 15 through the solid outlets 113, 123.
In such a configuration, the pipe 132 interconnecting the separating barrels 11, 12 needs to have an adequate length to be bent in a manner that does not affect flowing of the airflow through the pipe 132. Therefore, the pipe 132 occupies a relatively large space. Moreover, when additional one or more separating barrels are used to improve filtration effect, additional one or more pipes like the pipe 132 are required for series connection of the additional separating barrel(s) between the separating barrels 11, 12. In this case, due to the use of the additional pipe (s) and separating barrel (s), the entire volume of the conventional centrifugal filter 1 becomes much larger, and pipe entanglement may occur.